Phylicia Barnes

In 1968, in the wake of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the riots that tore Baltimore apart, Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro III nominated the relentless civil rights activist Walter P. Carter to lead an anti-poverty agency and bring about "liberal and aggressive" change.

The backlash from the city's old guard was swift: The City Council rejected Carter's nomination. One council member said Carter was "too militant." Another called him "too radical." A third called on the mayor to nominate more of "our people" to city jobs. In case there was any confusion, he made himself clear: "I mean white people."

Related "Phylicia Barnes" Articles

In 1968, in the wake of the assassination of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and the riots that tore Baltimore apart, Mayor Thomas D'Alesandro III nominated the relentless civil rights activist Walter P. Carter to lead an anti-poverty agency and bring...